FINAL APPLICATION REVIEW 2014-2015
Proposed School Name (Commonwealth):
Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Grades Served At Full Capacity:
Number of Students At Full Capacity:
Proposed School Location:
K-4
360
Fitchburg
Fitchburg1, Athol-Royalston, Clinton, Gardner, Leominster, Orange, and
Winchendon
2015-2016
Proposed Charter Region:
Proposed Opening Year:
Mission Statement:
Academy for the Whole Child Charter School sets the foundation for the long-term development of elementary age children in partnership
with students, families and communities. By embracing the “whole child” approach, we ensure that each child reaches high levels of
academic success, creativity, personal growth and well-being. Through a robust academic and social-emotional curriculum, children learn
within a safe, child-centered, and inclusive environment.
Proposed Growth Plan for First Five Years of Operation:
School Year Grade Levels
First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year
Fifth Year
K-2
K-3
K-4
K-4
K-4
Total Student
Enrollment
120
204
291
342
360
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) has compiled a summary of the evidence identified through the review of the
charter application, the responses provided by the applicant group during the subsequent interview, and the testimony and comment provided at the
public hearing and during the public comment period. The summary describes the evidence identified that addresses the application criteria and
identifies the areas of the application criteria where limited evidence was provided during the application process.
1
Due to the availability of seats under the 9 percent net school spending (NSS) cap in Fitchburg, the proposed school must enroll students from other areas of the
charter region in order to reach the proposed maximum enrollment of 360, and avoid exceeding Fitchburg’s NSS cap.
Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Page 1 of 11
Public Comment:
The application received testimony and written comment in support; materials were primarily from parents, residents of the proposed charter region,
and potential external partners. The group received written comment in support from Fitchburg City Councilor Dean Tran. The applicant group
submitted a significant number of signed petitions and supporting evidence of interest in a charter school for the proposed charter region.
This application received testimony and written comment in opposition during the public hearing and public comment process, including but not
limited to Senator Jennifer Flanagan, State Representatives Stephen DiNatale, Dennis Rosa, and Jonathan Zlotnik, Mayor Lisa Wong, members of
the Fitchburg and Leominster School Committees, Superintendents of Fitchburg and Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School districts, members
of the Fitchburg City Council, parents, students, teachers, administrators, and representatives of the local collective bargaining units from the
proposed charter region.
Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Page 2 of 11
Mission and Key Design Elements (I.A. and I.B.)
Identified Evidence
 The mission defines the purpose and specialized focus of the school, is
consistent with high academic standards and student success, and is
reflected throughout the application. The applicant group proposes to
provide a “safe, child-centered, and inclusive environment” and through
the “while child approach” achieve student outcomes involving the
“academic success, creativity, personal growth, and well-being” of all
students. The mission also highlights that the success of the school
requires development of a “partnership” relationship with students,
families, and their communities. (I.A.)
 The application presents a clear understanding of the group’s educational
philosophy and their core values and beliefs regarding the requirements for
an effective and meaningful elementary school education. The application
describes the core values using the acronym “CARING.” CARING refers
to Community, Academic Achievement and Accountability, Rigor and
Relevance, Inclusive for all, No exceptions, and Growth. (I.B.)
 The key design elements reflect the educational philosophy of the
applicant group. The key design elements include eleven components of
the proposed educational program, including extended day with additional
supports outside of the traditional school day; arts integrated general
education curriculum; arts and Spanish language instruction daily; socialemotional learning curriculum, instruction, and assessment; parent
engagement, and community partnerships. (I.B.)
 The application contains academic and non-academic goals that provide a
general understanding of the various metrics the school would propose to
use to monitor and assess the progress of student development. Metrics
include performance against grade level benchmarks on selected
commercial assessments and the Massachusetts Comprehensive
Assessment System tests (MCAS); performance against the school’s
proposed promotion standards; and performance against the school’s
proposed assessment of social-emotional learning. (I.B.)
Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Limited Evidence
 The application describes eleven key design elements that are aligned with
the mission but not consistently reflected throughout the application. The
application provides limited information regarding the integration of the
“Whole Child Initiative” from the Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development (ASCD), and the Reggio Emelia curriculum and
instruction approach into the proposed educational program, including the
professional development necessary for effective implementation. The
application also indicates the intent to model the school’s learning and
professional environment after the “high-performing, high-poverty
readiness model” described in The Turnaround Challenge by Mass Insight.
The model involves its own elements of design that appear to align with
the other models proposed for integration within the school. The
application does not clearly describe how these approaches are integrated
into a cohesive and comprehensive educational program. (I.B.)
 The applicant group has provided core values, CARING; goals for the
school, which are enhanced and inclusive structure, meaningful and
relevant curriculum, and working together through partnerships; and the
eleven key design elements. The variety of descriptions provide a clear
understanding of the proposed design components of the school but do not
clarify how the board and school leadership will prioritize implementation,
incorporate the design elements into an appropriate and meaningful
accountability plan, and ultimately review progress towards effective
implementation. (I.B.)
Page 3 of 11
Description of the Community to Be Served and
Enrollment and Recruitment (I.C. and I.D.)
Identified Evidence
 The applicant group indicated that the shift from a single district proposal
focused on Fitchburg during the 2013-2014 application cycle to the current
regional proposal is guided by the limited quality options for families in
the region. The proposed charter region includes districts currently
performing in the lowest 10 percent of districts on the state’s MCAS tests,
including Athol-Royalston, Gardner, Orange, and Winchendon. Clinton is
just outside of the lowest 10 percent ranking this year. (I.C.)
 The applicant group demonstrated a passionate understanding of and
connection to the proposed mission and goals for the school, as well as a
strong commitment to serve the communities of the proposed charter
region. The applicant group highlighted that while the region is currently
served by the Sizer School, a regional charter school serving grades 7-12
located in Fitchburg, there is no similar option for families at the
elementary school grades. (I.C. and I.D.)
 Within the application and during the interview, the applicant group
described a variety of strategies to increase community awareness of the
proposed school, including the use of social media to build both support
and interest in the proposed school. (I.D.)
 The application described a variety of recruitment strategies to attract a
student population reflective of the proposed charter region, including
supplying information about the school in English and Spanish, and
targeted outreach to day care and Headstart providers. The applicant group
reported during the interview and via public comment approximately 140
children have indicated the intent to enroll in the proposed school if
chartered. (I.D.)

Limited Evidence
 While the applicant group provided additional explanation during the
interview, the growth plan proposed for the school remains confusing in its
implementation during the first charter term. The proposed school intends
to annually add sections to grades K-2 during the first years of
implementation. In particular, the second grade cohort will have a new
section added four out of the five years of the charter term. During the
interview, the members of the proposed leadership team indicated that the
original intent was to support effective implementation by focusing on a
staggered grade roll out while enrolling a sufficient number of students to
financially support the school. During the interview, the applicant group
indicated the potential need to modify the growth plan and to increase
enrollment to access additional finances for implementation of the
proposed educational program. (I.D.)
The applicant group proposes to open with grades K-2, and add a grade
and additional section across the grade span, until reaching maximum
enrollment in its fifth year of operation. The implementation of the
proposed grade span will provide four years of MCAS data during its first
charter term. (I.D. and II.C.)
Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
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Overview of Program Delivery and Curriculum and Instruction (II.A. and II.B.)
Identified Evidence
 The proposed school will implement a school year of 180 days and an
extended day of 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. The school day includes an
instructional focus on literacy and mathematics with arts integration in the
general education classroom, and daily arts and Spanish language
instruction. The application emphasized that the small class size and
proposed staffing model are essential elements to effectively serve the
targeted high needs student population. (II.A.)
 The school intends to provide an afterschool program every day from
3:30-5:00 p.m. to be supported by potential partners, and fundraising. The
afterschool program would provide recreational, academic, and enrichment
opportunities to students. The school also proposes to implement a four
week summer program but very little information was provided regarding
its implementation. (II.A.)
 The application provides a thorough discussion regarding the value of
foreign language education at the elementary school grades, and the goals
of implementing daily Spanish instruction for all students. (II.B.)
 The proposed school will implement curriculum consisting of both
commercially available, and internally-developed curricula. The applicant
group emphasized that teachers will be relied on for curriculum and
assessment development, and provided autonomy in the classroom to
implement curriculum and instruction, with guidance from the proposed
Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (DCIA). (II.B.)
 The application provides a clear description of the variety of instructional
methods that will be used to deliver curriculum, including direct
instruction, small collaborative groups, and independent practice. (II.B.)
 During the interview, the applicant group provided additional information
regarding the use of the daily arts class period for the purpose of common
planning time within each grade level team, and regular opportunities to
collaborate with the Creative Arts Director (CAD), as well as special
education and English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers. (II.B.)
 During the interview, the applicant group clarified the monthly
opportunities for professional development as well as one week during the
summer. Prior to the first year of operation, teachers will participate in an
additional week to support curriculum development. (II.B.)
Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Limited Evidence
 During the interview, the applicant group noted that the proposed
afterschool program may be implemented for fewer than five days due to
financial constraints during the first charter term. It also remains unclear
how the school will finance the proposed four weeks of summer
programming. (II.A.)
 The application does not provide a clear understanding of the
implementation of the Reggio Emelia approach within the proposed
educational program, and provides inconsistent references to its use at
Kindergarten, and also grades K-2. (II.A.)
 During the interview, the applicant group clarified classroom sizes which
include approximately 14 students in K-1; and 18 students in grades 2-4. It
remains unclear how the proposed educational design of student
enrollment and staffing levels will be financial sustainable over time
without significant fundraising. (II.A.)
 The application does not provide a clear description of the purpose, goals,
and student outcomes related to implementation of the proposed
S.T.E.A.M program once a week. (II.B.)
 While the application provides a clear description of the use of “Artful
Thinking” to support implementation of Arts Integration within contentarea curriculum, instruction, and assessments, there is limited information
provided about the arts programming provided daily. (II.B.)
 While the application describes the use of a data inquiry cycle to ensure
effective teaching and learning, the application contains a limited and
generalized description of the processes used, both initially and on an
ongoing basis, to develop, improve, and refine curriculum in alignment
with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. (II.B.)
 The proposed budget does not adequately reflect the costs of professional
development to support effective implementation of the ASCD “Whole
Child Initiative” approach, the Reggio Emelia instructional approach, and
Arts Integration practices. (II.B.)
 While the application contains a draft evaluation tool, the application does
not provide a clear understanding of the teacher evaluation system or its
use to support and coach teachers effectively. (II.B.)
Page 5 of 11
Student Performance, Assessment, and Program Evaluation (II.C.)
Identified Evidence
 The application describes a clear assessment system that will provide
multiple measures of student growth, and student performance that can be
used to facilitate adjustments to the educational program, and inform a
staff development plan that will support the goal of improved student
learning. (II.C.)
 The applicant group provides detailed descriptions of the external
assessments, such as Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills
(DIBELS), GRADE and G-MADE (Group Reading/Mathematics
Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation), and Sustainability Tracking,
Assessment, and Rating system (STAR) that will be implemented to
support the monitoring of student learning. (II.C.)
 The application contains a number of components within the performance
and assessment system which align with the school’s mission and key
design elements, including the use of a four-point scale to evaluate and
report student performance, rubrics for the measurement of socialemotional learning and development, and a clear homework policy
developed to demonstrate the variation in expectations of students in
grades K-4, and highlight the responsibilities of stakeholders. (II.C.)
Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Limited Evidence
 Reviewers were concerned by the appearance of low standards for parent
engagement communicated in the goals of the draft accountability plan.
While the applicant group provided additional context to the overall
expectation for parent engagement during the interview, the benchmark
measure of “50 percent parent participation in their child’s educational
experience” at renewal would appear to be a low standard for success
taken in conjunction with the strong parent partnership proposed within the
mission. (II.C.)
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Supports for Diverse Learners (II.D.)
Identified Evidence
 The application provides a clear description of the process and procedures
to identify, assess, and serve students who are English Language Learners
(ELLs). The information was sufficient to indicate knowledge of the
obligations of the proposed school to serve ELLs within the proposed
educational program. (Section II.D.)

The application provides a clear description of the process and procedures
to identify, assess, and serve students with disabilities. The information
was sufficient to indicate knowledge of the obligations of the proposed
school to serve students with disabilities within the proposed educational
program. (Section II.D.)
Limited Evidence
 During the interview, the applicant group noted the potential challenges to
the proposed staffing levels for special education and ESL teachers if the
degree of student need is greater than anticipated. It is unclear if the school
would have the financial resources necessary to add additional staffing in
these areas if the proposed school attracted a significant population of
students with special needs. (II.D.)
 Reviewers noted that the inclusion of the Response to Intervention (RtI)
process in reference only to the identification of students with special
needs limits understanding of the specific strategies to be implemented in
the general education classroom to support all learners, and appears to
diverge from the educational philosophy and educational model previously
described for the proposed school. (II.D.)
 The budget may not adequately plan for the provision of related service
providers, such as a speech pathologist, physical therapist, or occupational
therapist, based on the allocation of $40,000 annually. The budget
indicates that expenditure also includes yoga and karate instruction for all
students. (II.D. and III.E.)
Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Page 7 of 11
Culture and Family Engagement (II.E.)
Identified Evidence
 The application describes the use of externally developed social-emotional
curriculum, MindUP, and internally developed character education
curriculum, “Have a H.E.A.R.T.,” to support the non-academic growth of
students consistent with the school’s mission and educational philosophy.
The application indicates that the “Have a H.E.A.R.T.” program will be
used to support the setting and monitoring of student behavior against
school-wide expectations. (II.E.)
Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Limited Evidence
 The application does not provide a clear plan with specific strategies for
establishing a school culture and norms consistent with the school’s
mission, educational philosophy, and educational program from the first
day of the school’s operation. The response to criteria reiterates the
educational philosophy of the applicant group without providing specific
actionable practices. The application does reference the institution of
uniforms, and a brief reference to opportunities for group and wholeschool assemblies. (II.E.)
 During the interview, members of the leadership team were unable to
articulate clear plans for the student discipline system and behavior
management. While the application indicated the implementation of
character education curriculum, and the development of rubrics for socialemotional learning and behaviors, the applicant group described potential
variation in the implementation of behavior management based on the
teacher and the students’ needs. The systems and structures proposed to
support effective and consistent behavior management are unclear based
on the limited responses provided within the application and during the
interview. (II.E.)
 While in the application and during the interview, members of the
applicant group articulated the desire and need for parents to actively
volunteer within the school day, the application more frequently describes
parents engagement as receiving supports from the school rather than
engaging in a clear partnership. It remains unclear how the “Parents as
Partners” program will function and what activities or programming will
result from its implementation, in addition to the proposed monthly
informational meetings. While the application communicates a
commitment to cultural competency within the school community, the
strategies to develop and establish cultural competency are limited and
generalized. (I.E.)
 The budget does not appear to reflect the employment of a qualified school
nurse. (III.E.)
Page 8 of 11
Capacity and Governance (III.A. and III.B.)
Identified Evidence
 The applicant group retained the majority of proposed board members
from its previous submission during the 2013-2014 application cycle. The
group has grown to include members with expertise in K-12 district and
charter public schools, special education, and ESL programming, and
expertise in finance and management. The proposed board members have
a range of additional experiences and qualifications in higher education,
law, real estate and facilities management, communications media and
arts, and governance of non-profit organizations and local governmental
bodies. Members of the proposed board have tangible ties to the
communities the school will serve. Members include the former mayor of
Fitchburg, an early education professional development provider, a K-12
teacher with dual certification in special education and ESL, the current
K-5 curriculum coordinator of a charter school in Worcester, current
president of the Fitchburg Cultural Alliance and former Fitchburg
administrator, and a finance administrator at an education collaborative.
(III.A.)
 The application provides sufficient information to establish understanding
regarding the role of the board in oversight of the proposed school,
including the responsibilities of board officers, the role of committees of
the proposed board, and the processes for decision-making and policy
development. (III.B.)
 The applicant has also retained all of the proposed employees from its
previous submission. The proposed employees have significant skills and
experience in K-12 education, creative arts, and after-school programming,
as well as tangible ties to the community that the school will serve.
Members include a former superintendent, and veteran general education
and specialist teachers with experience in Fitchburg Public Schools.
(III.A.)

Limited Evidence
 All but two members of the thirteen proposed board of trustees were able
to attend the Department interview; absent were the finance administrator
for a special education collaborative, and a faculty member at a local
university. Beverly Tefft, the finance administrator, played a role in the
budget review performed by the proposed board. (III.A. and III.B.)
The applicant group has developed an advisory council for additional
guidance on the challenges of opening and operating a charter school with
the proposed educational program. During the interview, the applicant
group reported that the advisory council will continue to mentor the
leadership team, and provide resources. Some members of the advisory
council may do so as paid consultants. (III.A. and III.C.)
Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Page 9 of 11
Management (III.C.)
Identified Evidence
 Proposed members of the leadership team have already been identified to
assist in the applicant group’s ability to quickly move past the planning
and preparation stage to the implementation and operation stage required
to open successfully in the fall 2015, if chartered. The combination of
individuals identified for employment have a variety of qualifications and
skills that support the potential for success in their proposed role. (III.C.)
 The proposed Executive Director/Principal (ED/P) is a former
superintendent; the proposed DCIA, and CAD/teacher are veteran
educators with almost 20 years of experience; the three individuals are
members of the design team, and primary authors of the charter
application. Ms. Verge, the ED/P, will provide mentoring to Ms. L’Ecuyer
during the initial years of implementation to support her growth into the
proposed role of principal as the school reaches maximum enrollment.
Josephine Rivers, the proposed CAD, will provide support to arts
specialists at the proposed school, and support implementation of the arts
integration within the general education classroom through collaborative
planning with classroom teachers. (III.C.)
 The application describes the school’s plan for recruiting high quality
teachers, including providing a level of compensation necessary to recruit
teachers with classroom experience, which is consistent with the proposed
school’s mission, vision, and educational philosophy. (III.C.)
Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Limited Evidence
 The application contained an organizational chart representative of the
school’s administration team during its first and fifth year of operation.
During the interview, the applicant group indicated the omission of the
proposed CAD from the organizational charts, and indicated that it remains
undecided how the school’s finances would impact the size of the
administrative team as the school reaches its maximum enrollment. (III.C.)
 The application did not contain a staffing chart or narrative to explain the
hiring plan for the proposed school’s first charter term. The absence of the
staffing chart limited the ability to determine if staffing projections are
viable and adequate for the effective implementation of the proposed
educational program. During the interview the applicant group provided
additional information to clarify the 14 full time employees proposed for
the first year of operation. (III.C.)
 Due to the educational and financial model proposed, members of the
leadership team will perform multiple roles during the school’s initial
growth in the first charter term. In the case of the CAD/teacher, it is unclear
how the individual will be able to provide the support and guidance to
faculty on curriculum, instruction, and assessment for the arts classes and
arts integration within content areas, while also managing the demands of
her own classroom. Ms. L’Ecuyer will be supported by the ED/P in order to
perform two different administrator roles, DCIA and Director of
Operations. (III.C.)
 Members of the original design and development team who are the primary
authors of the charter application will continue to meet informally to
discuss the school’s performance and progress outside of the school day and
board or committee meetings. The team includes proposed administrators,
classroom teacher(s), and a proposed board member. While the group
clarified that this is considered another sounding board for school
leadership, it remains unclear how the group of original founders will
function differently under the structures of a charter school board of trustees
and school leadership team. (III.C.)
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Facilities, Student Transportation and Finances (III.D. and III.E.)
Identified Evidence
 The applicant group stated that they have identified two potential facility
options in Fitchburg for the proposed school that have previously operated
as school buildings. The applicant group reported a draft lease is ready to
be signed, if chartered, for the preferred location, and the proposed lease is
a deferred lease, amortized over the five years of the first proposed charter
term. (III.D.)
 The Fitchburg Public Schools would provide transportation to students of
the proposed charter school who are also residents of Fitchburg based on
the proposed daily school schedule in adherence with district policies. The
application indicated that the school would assist families within the
charter region who do not reside in Fitchburg in coordinating carpooling to
the proposed site. During the interview, the applicant group indicated
interest in a number of different options to facilitate regional
transportation, including coordinating transportation with the Sizer School,
pursuing a fee-based transportation option, or accessing the resources of
community organizations to assist with transportation. (III.D.)
 During the interview, the applicant group described a clear rationale to
support their assertion that the proposed revenue, including tuition, was
conservative in nature and that revenue would be expected to be higher
than estimated within the proposed budget once the proposed school was
in operation. (III.E.)
Limited Evidence
 The budget and cash flow projection submitted by the applicant group
reflect expenditures related to a modified implementation of the proposed
educational program. For example, while the application appears to
indicate an instructional model of one teacher and assistant teacher in each
classroom, the budget reflects one assistant teacher per grade, which was
also clarified during the interview. Additionally, the budget reflects limited
expenditures on instructional technology; instructional supplies and
materials; testing and assessment; and professional development. During
the interview, the applicant group reported that the budget is stripped down
to reflect the essential financial needs of the first charter term, and in a
number of areas, such as technology, the group is anticipating receiving
donations from other organizations for school use. (III.E.)
 The school proposes to operate at a deficit for the pre-operational and first
year of operation that does not appear to be repaid in the second or third
year of operation. Depending on the financial resources and fundraising
ability of the proposed school, it may run at a deficit during the first
charter term. During the interview, the applicant group stated the intent to
make adjustments to the growth plan in order to address the deficit. The
group articulated that fundraising efforts would be focused on providing
additional resources to the school, such as afterschool programming, and
enrichment, not to address deficits from the operating budget. (III.E.)
 The proposed ED/P has committed to receiving a lower than market-rate
salary due to her commitment to the success of the proposed school and
her current status as a retired administrator. As a retired Massachusetts
school administrator, Ms. Verge would be required to adhere to limitations
on the amount of time she may work and the salary she may earn. The
school’s budget, as currently projected, would not support a replacement
for Ms. Verge at a competitive rate. (III.E.)

Evidence Summary of the Proposed Academy for the Whole Child Charter School
Due to the financial constraints of implementing the proposed model, the
applicant group’s ability to provide regional transportation for the
proposed charter region appears unlikely. Without a reliable system of
transportation in place for all students, it remains unclear how the school
would serve the high need student populations from areas of the proposed
charter region outside Fitchburg. (III.E.)
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